First constraints of dense molecular gas at z~7.5 from the quasar P\=oniu\=a'ena

We report the detection of CO(6-5) and CO(7-6) and their underlying continua from the host galaxy of quasar J100758.264+211529.207 (P\=oniu\=a'ena) at z=7.5419, obtained with the NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA). P\=oniu\=a'ena belongs to the HYPerluminous quasars at the Epoch of ReionizatION (HYPERION) sample of 17 $z>6$ quasars selected to be powered by supermassive black holes (SMBH) which experienced the fastest mass growth in the first Gyr of the Universe. The one reported here is the highest-redshift measurement of the cold and dense molecular gas to date. The host galaxy is unresolved and the line luminosity implies a molecular reservoir of $\rm M(H_2)=(2.2\pm0.2)\times 10^{10}$ $\rm M_\odot$, assuming a CO spectral line energy distribution typical of high-redshift quasars and a conversion factor $\alpha=0.8$ $\rm M_{\odot} (K\,km \, s^{-1} \,pc^{2})^{-1}$. We model the cold dust spectral energy distribution (SED) to derive a dust mass of M$_{\rm dust} =(2.1\pm 0.7)\times 10^8$ $\rm M_\odot$, and thus a gas to dust ratio $\sim100$. Both the gas and dust mass are not dissimilar from the reservoir found for luminous quasars at $z\sim6$. We use the CO detection to derive an estimate of the cosmic mass density of $\rm H_2$, $\Omega_{H_2} \simeq 1.31 \times 10^{-5}$. This value is in line with the general trend suggested by literature estimates at $z < 7$ and agrees fairly well with the latest theoretical expectations of non-equilibrium molecular-chemistry cosmological simulations of cold gas at early times.Comment: Submitted to ApJ Letter

Safety control of industrial robots based on a distributed distance sensor

In the field of human–robot interaction in industrial environments, the active control of robot based on exteroceptive sensors’ measurements is a viable approach to the issue of safety enhancement. Among all possible solutions, onboard sensors have several advantages, in terms of ease of deployment and calibration, and absence of occlusions. In this paper, we present a prototype of a distributed distance sensor that can be mounted on an industrial robot. The sensor’s outputs have been used as part of a newly conceived control strategy, aimed at improving human safety by means of assessing the level of danger induced by the robot. Several experiments on an ABB IRB140 industrial robot have been carried out, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed approach in a realistic scenario

Could the Pittsburgh Severity Score guide the treatment of esophageal perforation? Experience of a single referral center.

Esophageal perforation (EP) is characterized by high morbidity and mortality. The Pittsburgh Severity Score (PSS) is a scoring system based on clinical factors at the time of EP presentation, intended to guide treatment. The aim of the study is to verify PSS usefulness in stratifying EP severity and in guiding clinical decisions